The invention relates to an apparatus for cooking foods by heating with heat transmitted from outside to the product to be cooked by means of a current of hot air, wherein, substantially, a hot-air circuit is formed in an enclosed space and the product to be cooked rests on a receiving element for the product to be cooked forming a receiving base.
Hot-air ovens are known for the baking and cooking of foods, in which ovens a powerful fan forces the heated air into the baking space and circulates it approximately 40 to 50 times a minute. As a result of this circulation, the heat is transmitted rapidly, uniformly and intensively to the product to be roasted or baked. The disadvantage of such hot-air ovens is the fact that a relatively large amount of energy is necessary for cooking small quantities of foods by heating.
The object of the subject-matter of the invention is to form an apparatus of the generic type in such a manner that, in particular, small portions of foods can be heated in an energy-saving manner.
This object is initially and substantially with an apparatus, wherein air can flow through the receiving base of the receiving element for the product to be cooked and that the hot air is guided so that it flows through the product to be cooked substantially at right angles to the receiving base of the receiving element for the product to be cooked.
As a consequence of this, an apparatus of the introductory mentioned type is provided which is suitable, in particular, for the cooking of small portions of foods by heating. For example, deep-frozen portioned dishes can be placed on the receiving element for the product to be cooked, these portions corresponding to the amount for one or two servings. After the receiving element for the product to be cooked has been introduced into the apparatus, the hot-air is moved through the apparatus in a guided manner, and indeed in such a way that it flows through the product to be cooked substantially at right angles to the receiving base of the receiving element for the product to be cooked. In this arrangement, a screen-like formation of the receiving base is recommended. The result of this forced circulation of hot air is homogeneous heating of the product to be cooked. No zones of lower temperature remain after heating. The apparatus according to the invention can be used advantageously in restaurants, fast-food kitchens, snack bars, etc, where foods are to be dispensed in portions shortly after an order. For example, it is possible to combine a plurality of these apparatuses to form a larger unit, so that different foods can be heated in parallel. In detail, the flow of hot air through the apparatus is such that the hot air is passed in on one side of the receiving element for the product to be cooked and extracted on the other side. The introduction and extraction of the hot air takes place at the narrow sides of the receiving element for the product to be cooked, which receiving element has substantially a rectangular elongate outline, as a result of which the hot air flows optimally through the product to be cooked during its circulation. A further advantageous feature lies in the fact that the apparatus has an air-duct chamber and forms a chamber for the product to be cooked, which chambers extend with a mutual overlap. This results in a compact structural shape. Virtually the entire length of the air-duct chamber can be used to receive the chamber for the product to be cooked. It is advantageous for flow purposes, moreover, for the two chambers to be disposed concentrically to one another. The manner in which this is achieved is that the chamber for the product to be cooked is disposed inside the air-duct chamber. It is also advantageous in this respect that both chambers have the cross-sectional form of a circular cylinder. In conjunction with the mutually concentric disposal of the chambers, this offers the advantage of optimum hot air circulation. In order for the hot air coming from the air-duct chamber to be directed as intended to the front region of the product to be cooked, the chamber for the product to be cooked has an inlet slit starting from its outer wall, formed by an inward retraction and opening above the receiving element for the product to be cooked. This means that the hot air is directed into the zone below the receiving element for the product to be cooked and, from there, flows in the transverse direction through the receiving base of the receiving element for the product to be cooked. For handling purposes, it is advantageous if the support of the receiving element for the product to be cooked is disposed transversely to the longitudinal direction of it and forms the cover closing the chamber for the product to be cooked. In this way, the support performs a dual function. After passing through the product to be cooked, the hot air leaves the chamber for the product to be cooked via an air outlet in its rear wall which is disposed above the receiving element for the product to be cooked. Rail guidance for the receiving element for the product to be cooked ensures that the receiving element for the product to be cooked is securely fixed within the chamber for the product to be cooked. Consequently, the receiving element for the product to be cooked always assumes the intended position within the chamber for the product to be cooked. Provision is then made, according to the invention, for the fan generating the air flow to be disposed behind the rear wall of the chamber for the product to be cooked, the intake side being assigned to the air outlet and the delivery side to the air-duct chamber. For the purpose of heating the foods, heating elements are disposed in the air-duct chamber. It may be necessary on occasion to add moisture when heating foods. To this end, at least one water nozzle is provided to enrich the hot air with water or water vapour. Here again, the water nozzle is disposed within the air-duct chamber. The water nozzle may be aligned in such a way that the jet leaving it strikes the outer wall of the chamber for the product to be cooked. According to the invention then, an apparatus is provided for grilling, having a grill mounting rotatable about a horizontal grill-shaft for receiving a product to be grilled, in particular poultry, and having a heating surface lying above the grill-shaft, the heating surface being disposed coaxially with the grill-shaft and having a fat pan disposed below it. Economical use of energy is achieved by the fact that the fat pan forms a double bottom with a drainage aperture from the first bottom to the second bottom disposed below it. The fat dripping onto the first bottom cannot therefore solidify on the latter, and catch fire there, leaving combustion residues which reduce the heat-radiation effect of the fat pan. Instead, the dripping fat passes through the overflow from the first bottom to the second bottom disposed below it. For an apparatus of this type, reference is made to WO 96/03681. The content of this international application is hereby incorporated in full in the disclosure of the present invention, also in order to include features of this application in claims for the present invention. In order to minimize the period for which the fat remains on the first bottom, the latter is designed to decline toward the drainage aperture. For this purpose, it is particularly recommended that the first bottom should be formed in the manner of a gutter. By simple production engineering techniques, the gutter is formed by two substantially flat surfaced sections disposed at an obtuse angle to one another. A further provision is that a grill-grid is disposed above the bottom. The apparatus can thus also be used to grill a product for grilling lying on the grill-grid. A further energy-saving measure is the fact that the grilling apparatus forms additional lateral reflectors, the undersides of which adjoin cheeks of the fat pan. When grilling, for example, poultry, the latter is therefore largely surrounded by reflectors, as a result of which grilling times can be reduced not insignificantly.